Tips For Relocating to Bend, Oregon

Planning is also a very important piece for any move.  The address change portion is essential in making a move to ensure all of your mail, and communications are forwarded to the proper Bend, Oregon address.  If possible, notify credit card companies, relatives, periodicals and utilities four weeks in advance of your new address and your expected move out date.  Contact the local Bend, Oregon post office and request an address change form or go online to usps.com to complete a paperless change of address.  Call the utility companies in Bend, Oregon once you have set a move in date so that you are sure to have heat, water and electricity as soon as you move in.

Once you are done with the logistics of the new Bend Oregon home, it’s time to start packing!  Again, planning is key.  Pick one room and start there.  A great rule of thumb is to begin packing one room per day and be sure to set aside items that you no longer want or need and send them to a thrift store, or plan a garage sale.  Garage sales can be a little overwhelming, but they can also bring in some extra income to help with the move.

Pack the areas and rooms that you use the least at the beginning.  It is best to avoid the frustrations of digging through boxes looking for items prior to the move to Bend, Oregon so make sure the essentials are the last thing to get packed.  Boxes should be labeled with three things: the room in the house as to where they came from, what exactly is inside the box, and whether or not the items inside are fragile.

Here are a couple of other reminders if you are doing all of the moving yourself:

- Pack your items with care and with lots of cushioning for the breakables.  If possible, use blankets, pillows, sheets and other linens to pad items in boxes.

- Pack dishes and glass objects vertically and do not stack them.

- If you have a heavier or larger item, it should be packed in a smaller box so that it does not get overloaded with other items and become difficult to carry.

- Many injuries occur every year due to moving and poor form when lifting boxes.  Remember to use your legs and not your back!

- Teach your children your new Bend, Oregon address and phone number as soon as possible

- Keep some boxes labeled as “open me first” which contain necessities such as toiletries, medicine, snacks and other items you might need to make sure your first night goes smoothly.

If you need additional Bend, Oregon relocation information I’m happy to help.  Contact Teri Green at (541) 350-8424 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

TERI GREEN

Bend Oregon Real Estate – Senior Real Estate Specialist
The Hasson Company

Making an Offer

When looking to place an offer on a home there are a few things to consider to ensure you are offering a fair price.  You don’t want to over pay…especially when the real estate market in Bend, Oregon is seeing home prices at such lows.  But you also don’t want to insult the seller with a severely undercut price.  There are a couple of resources that are available to aid in determining the proper value of a home.

Recent Sales Information and Reports

Ask your Bend Oregon Realtor to provide a comprehensive report of homes that have sold in the last few months in the neighborhood that you are looking.  The reports will include the listing and selling price for each home that has recently sold.  This information can be very useful and can assist you in finding the average difference in the listing price tag and the actual selling price.  In some markets you will see people paying more than the listing price; and in others, it can be much less.  It really is dependent on the location in Central Oregon and the real estate trends in each specific area.  However, by studying these reports you will at least have a ballpark information to fall back on to make you feel more comfortable when making an offer.

Ask for an Independent Appraisal

If you need more information about a home (especially an older home) you may opt to have a professional appraiser look at the property before you make an offer to the seller.  A good rule of thumb is to select an appraiser that is completely independent of any third party involved in the sale.  This makes the appraiser a neutral party in the scenario and allows them to make a fair and honest report about the home and its condition.

After an appraisal by an independent party is completed and you want to move forward with making an offer, know that the lender will probably not accept this first appraisal.  They will most likely opt for a second appraisal report to be completed for compliance issues.  Either way, the original appraisal report will contain vital information that will assist you in making a knowledgeable and confident decision about whether or not you want to move forward in making an offer on a Bend OR Property.

In this appraisal report you can expect to find information about homes and properties in the surrounding area.  There will be a list of at least 3 properties that are comparable to the one you are interested in and a brief overview of the Bend Oregon housing market at the time of appraisal.  The report will also include potential dangerous attributes or problems with the home and items to keep in mind when thinking about making a purchase.  If the home is outdated and needs to be remodeled, are you prepared to make the time and monetary investment to bring the home up to date?  If the home has some structural issues that need to be taken care of should you include this discount in your offer?  These are just a couple of questions that will arise when looking at an appraisal report.  An independent appraisal will most likely not be required, unless you are purchasing using a loan.  But know that as a buyer, you have this right.

Know Your Realtor

A buyer’s agent and a seller’s agent both have their own party’s best interest in mind when making a Bend Oregon real estate transaction.  If you are a buyer working with the selling agent, know that you will not get much help from the realtor because he or she is attempting to get the highest price possible for their client.   However, if you are working with the buying agent, know that they have your best interest in mind and can often be quite helpful in crafting an acceptable offer to the seller.  Local and state laws can also have an important role in the agent’s ability to move you through the buying process.  Ask your agent about whether they are a seller’s or buyer’s agent and what laws are in effect that could inhibit your agent’s ability to help you in the buying process.

For more information on this topic or the Bend Oregon real estate market, contact Teri Green today at 541-350-8424 or email her at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Sincerely, 

TERI GREEN

Bend Oregon Real Estate – Senior Real Estate Specialist
The Hasson Company

Tips for Buying a Bend, Oregon Foreclosure

Utilizing the services of an experienced real estate broker is going to be your safest and most common bet when purchasing a foreclosure in Bend, OR.  I have assisted many of my clients through the process, which has allowed them to use a lender for financing while still purchasing a great bargain.  To tell you the truth, there are some great tricks available for buying foreclosures!

First of all, I recommend signing up to receive emails for new bank owned properties that come on the market and fit your criteria.  You can click here to sign up for Bend Oregon Foreclosure Properties. Second, you need to know your niche market and you can do this by keeping an eye on properties that have similar attributes to what you are hoping to purchase.  Watch the current prices of available listings and as well as know what the current selling prices in the market are.  Don’t be fooled by short sale prices, watch the regular sale prices.  Third, you must be somewhat market savvy to act quickly.   Typically, homes that see a lot of foot traffic will have several offers come in all at once.  This can make it very difficult to get a bargain because people will submit offers closer to the asking price to try to cut out the competition.  This is another important lesson to know when buying a foreclosure in Bend, Oregon.  If you can be one of the first people to view and a home and submit an offer your offer is more likely to be accepted.  Call me right away at (541) 350-8424 if you find a foreclosure you are interested and we can set up an appointment to view it that very same day.  Also, the offer must be done on bank forms if required by the bank and your real estate agent should know which forms are required and will have them attached to the offer. If you’d like more information about this, or need assistance in placing an offer on a foreclosure, please give me a call at (541) 350‐8424.

When looking into bank owned properties in Bend Oregon, remember that they are sold "As‐Is." This is a SERIOUS consideration. Due diligence should be taken on your part to fully investigate the property prior to purchase and your real estate broker should be able to explain this and double check your work.

When buying a foreclosure, know that you are going to be dealing with a bank and that they are usually not very friendly.  When and if they accept your offer, be prepared for them to deny your terms and in-turn present you with a very one-sided and unfriendly multi-paged addendum for you to sign in order to proceed with the purchase. Basically, these contracts are written by the bank’s lawyers and are only meant for the protection of the bank.  However, you cannot purchase the property without agreeing to the sometimes bogus and one-sided agreement.  This is why working with a very experienced real estate broker is important when making these transactions.

The last thing you need to know is that you must close on time. Experienced real estate brokers should be able to easily navigate you through the escrow process with the escrow officer, the lender, the selling agent, and ensure this process runs smoothly and is on time and on target to close as agreed.  Some banks have refused to extend closing dates or have applied astronomical fees for extensions.  Both of these situations should be avoided if possible.

If you need additional information on Buying a Foreclosure in Bend, OR Contact Teri Today! Simply email Teri at: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or call her at (541) 350‐8424

I look forward to helping you find your dream home!

Sincerely, 

TERI GREEN

Bend Oregon Real Estate – Senior Real Estate Specialist
The Hasson Company

2010 Tour of Homes - Bend Oregon

One of Bend’s very fun and completely FREE events is the Central Oregon Builders Association Tour of Homes.  The COBA Tour of Homes is scheduled this year for July 16-18 and July 23-25 (Fridays noon – 6pm, Saturday/Sundays 10am-6pm).

 Open to the public, you are welcome to walk thru as many of the participating homes as you’d like.  Each participating home is newly constructed showcasing many of the hot new building techniques and amenities.  A great way to experience for yourself some terrific Bend Oregon Real Estate.  The Bend Bulletin provides a complimentary booklet showing detailed information and a map to each home.  Look for this booklet on July 14^th. 

Homes range from under $200K to over $2,000,000.  Each home will be judged in a variety of categories and award winners are announced on July 20^th.  As many as 75 homes have participated in previous years.  We will see what numbers 2010 brings.

 Grab your friends and check out the 2010 Tour of Homes!

Sign up for Teri’s free New Listing Notification Service or call Teri today with any of your real estate needs or questions!  You can also email Teri at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it  

Teri Green is Bend’s Senior Real Estate Specialist and will help you find great bargains on quality homes in all of Central Oregon:  Bend, Redmond, Sisters, Sunriver, Lapine and Prineville! 

To gain instant access to foreclosure bargains right when they hit the market, call Teri at 541.350.8424 or visit www.BendOregonRealEstatePLUS.com  

 I love what I do and work diligently on behalf of my clients. It would be my honor to apply my diligence, knowledge and experience to your real estate needs. We will both enjoy the results!

 Sincerely, 

TERI GREEN

Bend Oregon Real Estate – Senior Real Estate Specialist
The Hasson Company
541.350.8424